Ancestry and Background
First, a character has an ancestry. This refers to the in-born biological abilities of your character, which in 5e can hold supernatural significance. For example, while your character might be a Human, they might also be an Elf, Gnome, or demon-blooded Tiefling.
Second, a character has a background. While many elves, for instance, are raised in predominantly elven cities and would be considered to be Fey-Touched, many characters are raised in more diverse cultures. A human might be raised by elves, and an elf might be raised in a Cosmopolitan city where they were influenced by a diversity of culture. Alternatively, perhaps your elf did not go through the same schooling as their peers, and instead went to a Militant academy. Your background represents the common skills and training learned by most members of your social circle growing up.
Your character will have special skills and abilities afforded by both your ancestry and your background. Each ancestry and each background are balanced so that they have approximately equal advantages, though as with all advantages, some may be better equipped for certain challenges than others.
Ancestry and Background replace the 'race' and 'background' systems from baseline 5e and do not work the same way. Click here for information as to how to use baseline 5e races alongside the new Elkan 5e ancestry and culture system (1).
Ancestry
Below we have listed every Ancestry in the Elkan5e ruleset. When creating a character, you should select an Ancestry, then a Background. Ancestry gives you most of your powerful racial abilities, but each Ancestry is a viable choice for any character archetype.
Unless otherwise indicated, an ancestry belongs to the type 'humanoid'.
Aasimar
Aasimar are mortals with a parent or ancestor who is an angel or other celestial creature. Usually, an aasimar looks most like their mortal ancestry, but with yellow glowing eyes and shiny skin. Sometimes, an aasimar has a halo or vestigial wings too weak too allow the aasimar to fly.
Type: Celestial
Size: Medium or Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Language: Celestial
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Cantrips: Thaumaturgy
Damage Resistance: Necrotic and Radiant
In the world of Elkan, aasimar are rare. The largest population of aasimar are human aasimar, and live with their angelic parents or ancestors in lands controlled by the Solar Hegemony. People usually assume aasimar are trustworthy people, but this trust is unearned. Those who know better view aasimar as being closer to their mortal heritage than anything else.
Changeling
Changelings vary in origin by setting, but are typically creatures of partial fey ancestry or born of a curse. Changelings have an inhuman humanoid form, and can change their appearance at will. They often adopt identities and a static appearance for most of their lives, but some have multiple identities they morph between on a regular basis. Concepts of gender or race don't always hold the same meaning for changelings.
Type: Fey
Size: Medium or Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Shapeshifting
You shift your form, adopting a new appearance and body shape.
Action - Self - Permanent
You decide what you look like, including your facial features, hair length, height, weight, sex, skin color, sound of your voice, etc. You can replicate the appearance of someone you've seen. You can't appear as a size other than medium or small, and you can't gain extra limbs or other body parts, and you can't gain any extra abilities. You revert to your default form if you are reduced to 0 hit points (but not when you sleep).
In the world of Elkan, changelings are most often found in Morventry (where they are praised as performers) or the wilds of Maronne (where they are protected by druids and fey creatures). Changelings are usually born to changeling or shapeshifting parents. If either parent was shapeshifting during conception or pregnancy, the child may be changed and become a changeling prior to birth. As a result, spellcasters or parents who have been cursed may give birth to a changeling and find themselves horrified or unprepared for the shapeshifting blob. Young changelings often face much ridicule, as their impulsive shapeshifting may cause social difficulties growing up.
Construct
Constructs vary wildly by individual. Some are golems hand-crafted by mages, while others are industrial workers or soldiers mass produced for a single purpose. Either way, a player character with the construct ancestry was created and instilled with a soul and the ability to think and make decisions for themselves.
Type: Construct
Size: Medium or Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Condition Immunity: Poisoned
Damage Immunity: Poison
Inorganic Form
You are immune to disease, effects that require you to breathe, and effects that put you to sleep.
You don't breathe, drink, eat, or sleep like a human would. You do still rest, during which you must remain motionless but remain conscious.
Soul Gem
Despite being created in a way many consider unnatural, you do have a soul, and your body is bound together in a way that magic will most often treat you as a living creature.
You can be healed, raised from the dead, and otherwise affected by healing magic that normally cannot affect constructs. Magic that restores body parts can restore your soul gem if it is destroyed or attach replacement parts to your body.
In the world of Elkan, constructs that can think are rare, and are usually created by powerful mages for use by nobility or elite mercenary companies. Most commonly, they are found in the indulgent nation of Karsa, where elves spend untold riches for extravagant luxuries, which can include thinking constructs. Karsan constructs are often entertainers, personal servants, or even gladiators, and come in all shapes, sizes, and materials.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn are humanoid lizards with the blood of dragons running through their veins. In some settings, they are directly descendants of dragons in some way, and in some settings they are created magically by draconic gods. Dragonborn can also refer to half-dragons, the humanoid lizard-like offspring created when a dragon, shapeshifted into a mortal, produces offspring with a mortal. Dragonborn often have heads resembling the dragon corresponding to their color.
Type: Dragon
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Language: Draconic
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Damage Resistance: Varies by bloodline.
Breath Weapon: Varies by bloodline. The DC for this ability equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + charisma or constitution modifier (whichever is higher).
In the world of Elkan, young dragonborn are injected with the blood of dragons when they are born, transforming them into magical creatures. Those without draconic ancestry almost never survive. After this process, dragonborn belong to a 'Bloodline', corresponding to the color of the dragon whose blood awakened them. The chromatic dragons- the red, blue, green, white, and black dragons- forcibly control their dragonborn servants. Belonging to one of the chromatic bloodlines means that you likely had to escape. The metallic dragons- the gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper dragons- are more benevolent and allow dissatisfied dragonborn to venture into the world.
Regardless, joining a Bloodline means you are unable to join another (trying would kill you), and you will forever have impulses to act similarly to the personalities of your Bloodlines. While you can control these impulses, it is a lifelong struggle.
Black Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You spew a jet of acid.
Action - 30 ft. line (5 ft. wide) - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Dexterity Save
Failure: 3d6 acid damage*
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 3d6 when you reach 5th level (6d6), 11th level (9d6), and 17th level (12d6).
The black dragons of Elkan live in the swamps of Ananua, where they mercilessly hunt whatever intelligent prey they can find. They enjoy inflicting horrible pain upon sentient creatures. Members of the Black Bloodline feel an intrusive sense of satisfaction from watching creatures in physical pain.
Blue Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe a stream of forking lightning.
Action - 30 ft. line (5 ft. wide) - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Dexterity Save
Failure: 3d6 electric damage*
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 3d6 when you reach 5th level (6d6), 11th level (9d6), and 17th level (12d6).
The blue dragons of Elkan live in the Sands of Nad, where they compete with each other for fame and status. They enjoy wielding their power over lesser creatures to mock or even ruin them. Members of the Blue Bloodline feel an intrusive desire to force weaker creatures to do things against their will.
Brass Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe a colorful cloud of stars.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
A creature that is already asleep or unconscious has disadvantage on this save
Wisdom Save
Failure: 2d6 psychic damage*
Success: Half damage.
If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points with this breath weapon, the creature falls unconscious, does not roll death saving throws or die as a result of this damage, and cannot wake for 1 hour.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).
The brass dragons of Elkan live in the desert known as the Dreamscape, living much of their lives in a collective lucid dream. They are thoughtful dreamers, withdrawn from the world around them. Members of the Brass Bloodline struggle not to lose focus and drift into daydreaming, sometimes even in reverie for hours at a time.
Bronze Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You roar, blasting enemies backwards with sonic force.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Strength Save
Failure: 2d6 sonic damage*, and the target is pushed up to 10 ft. away from you.
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).
The bronze dragons of Elkan live in coastal reefs near the Blasted Steppes. They are proud vigilantes and bounty hunters. Members of the Bronze Bloodline find it difficult not to start fights with those they consider evil or even just amoral.
Copper Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You spew heavy caustic globs which stick to enemies and hinder them.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Dexterity Save
Failure: 2d6 acid damage*, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).
The copper dragons of Elkan live in secret, hiding throughout the world. They are kind, but unreliable guides to remote places. Members of the Copper Bloodline find it hard not to play petty pranks on those they don't like.
Gold Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe a twisting white gas which cripples enemies.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Constitution Saving Throw
Failure: 2d6 poison damage*, and the target is poisoned for 1 minute (save ends)
Success: Half damage.
If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points with this breath weapon, the creature falls unconscious, does not roll death saving throws or die as a result of this damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).
The gold dragons of Elkan live on the Untouchable Shores, the magical mists preventing travelers from getting close. They often intervene to prevent tyrants from rising to power nearby. Members of the Gold Bloodline often feel they know what's best for others, even those they barely know.
Green Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe noxious green gas.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Constitution Save
Failure: 3d6 poison damage*
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 3d6 when you reach 5th level (6d6), 11th level (9d6), and 17th level (12d6).
The green dragons of Elkan live in the Roots, where they run wild with twisted fey courts. They are narcissists, and create elaborate schemes to stroke their own egos. Members of the Green Bloodline have difficulty realizing that they are less than perfect, and find it comes naturally to blame others for their failures.
Red Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breath a great blast of fire.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Dexterity Save
Failure: 3d6 fire damage*
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 3d6 when you reach 5th level (6d6), 11th level (9d6), and 17th level (12d6).
The red dragons of Elkan live in the Ashen Mountains, where they rule over their dragonborn, dwarf, and kobold slaves. They are tyrants, and will destroy any who get in the way of their domination. Members of the Red Bloodline feel an intrusive desire to dominate weaker creatures and suffer no insult.
Silver Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe a beam of ice crystals which attempt to fix to your target.
Action - 30 ft. line (5 ft. wide) - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Constitution Save
Failure: 2d6 cold damage*, and the target is restrained until the end of your next turn.
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).
The silver dragons of Elkan live in Alfand, where they protect high elven communities. They are staunch protectors, but tend to only care about their own. Members of the Silver Bloodline often struggle to look beyond their own community or social circle's problems.
White Bloodline
Breath Weapon (1/Long Rest)
You breathe a powerful blast of cold air.
Action - 20 ft. cone - 1/Long Rest - Magical
Constitution Save
Failure: 3d6 cold damage*
Success: Half damage.
*At Higher Levels: This ability's damage increases by 3d6 when you reach 5th level (6d6), 11th level (9d6), and 17th level (12d6).
The white dragons of Elkan live in remote tundras, hiding from their many draconic enemies. They are bullies, taking out their anger on whoever is smaller than them. Members of the White Bloodline have intrusive thoughts that the only way to overcome their own weaknesses is to victimize others.
Dwarf
Dwarves look like short, stout humans, though they vary in height from 4 to 5 ft. They tend to be well-muscled and hardy, but dwarves raised in non-dwarven cultures show more variability in build. Dwarves can almost universally grow beards (not just male dwarves), and have a legendary tolerance to alcohol.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft.
Damage Resistance: Poison
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against the poisoned condition.
Sturdy
You have advantage on any saving throw against an effect that would knock you prone or push you.
In the world of Elkan, dwarves tend to live among their own. The largest population of dwarves live in Ironhome, where dwarves cover themselves constantly in metal armor, drink beer, and teach their young to stay true to family traditions. Another significant population, the Red Dwarves, have been imbibing the blood of red dragons and bowing to their draconic overlords for generation. Dwarves are stereotyped as a thick headed people by most of their neighbors.
Elf
Elves look like thinner humans with pointed ears. They tend to be classically attractive, with clear skin and symmetrical faces, though shorter than humans by a few inches on average. Elves are relatively hairless and few can grow facial hair.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Keen Sight and Hearing
You have advantage on perception checks, except where you cannot use either sight or hearing. Note that when you have advantage, your passive perception increases by 5.
Fey Ancestry
You are immune to spells and magical effects that would put you to sleep, and you have advantage on saves against the charmed condition.
In the world of Elkan, elves are the most common race worldwide other than humans. The pale High Elves of Ishiki live an isolationist life on their hidden island, but exiles from their lands have colonized much of the main continent. The tanned Wood Elves of Ananua, so named for the boats they built after cutting sacred forests, live in shrouded settlements in the south of Elkan. By far the most numerous are the brown-skinned Dark Elves, who have founded several prominent merchant houses in the north of Elkan. Unlike many other settings, the different ethnic groups of elves in Elkan are nearly identical biologically.
Genasi
Genasi are usually humanoids with partial elemental ancestry. Sometimes a genasi is created by fusing a humanoid with elemental magic. While they are mortal, and may not have been born on one of the elemental planes, they nonetheless bear many traits of elemental creatures.
Type: Elemental
Size: Medium or Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Cantrips: Varies by type
Damage Resistance: Varies by type
Language: Varies by type
In the world of Elkan, genasi are rare except in regions with an active portal to one of the elemental planes. Each of the elemental planes has one major gateway that allows travelers to move between planes. Each of these portals are either remote, guarded, or difficult to reach.
Air Genasi
Air genasi are usually the descendants of mortals and djinni. They can bound through the air effortlessly, and often bear other signs of their elemental lineage, such as a slight aura of fog, pale blue skin, or hair that stands on end.
Cantrips: Floating Disk
Damage Resistance: Sonic
Language: You can read and write Primordial and speak its Auran dialect.
Bounding Leap
Your jump height and distance are doubled. Thus, your running long jump distance is 2 x your strength score, and your jump height is 2 x (3 + your strength modifier).
In Elkan, air genasi are most common in the small maritime towns near the Blasted Steppes. There, a massive portal to the Plane of Air in the sky is used by djinni and elementals to exile their criminals to the Material Plane in Elkan. There, they often terrorize the settlers, but many come to live among mortals and accept their new lives there. Their descendants are usually Genasi.
Earth Genasi
Earth genasi are usually the descendants of mortals and dao. They are dense and strong as stone, and often bear other signs of their elemental lineage, such as earthen brown-grey skin, a wide build, or rocky protrusions from their body.
Cantrips: Mending
Damage Resistance: Electric
Language: You can read and write Primordial and speak its Terran dialect.
Sturdy
You have advantage on any saving throw against an effect that would knock you prone or push you.
In Elkan, earth genasi rarely congregate in groups. The Plane of Earth itself is so hostile that the tunnel cities there are constantly shifting, and mortals almost never live there. On the Material Plane, it's said that the portal to the Plane of Earth is deep below the Ashen Mountains on the Morventry border, but the tunnels of the underworld in the region are extremely hostile. There is a rumored secret organization of earth genasi on the pirate island of Lennington, but most genasi don't have a sense of community or connection to their home.
Fire Genasi
Fire genasi are usually the descendants of mortals and efreeti. They can harmlessly ignite their hair, eyes, or other body parts, and often bear other signs of their elemental lineage, such as a burnt smell, red skin, or flame-like hair.
Cantrips: Produce Flame
Damage Resistance: Fire
Language: You can read and write Primordial and speak its Ignan dialect.
Living Lantern
You harmlessly ignite a part of your body: your hair, your eyes, or even your skin, shedding light for all to see.
Bonus Action - Self - Magical
You shed bright light in a 30 ft. radius and dim light for another 30 ft. beyond that (60 ft. total). If you become unconscious or use this ability again, the light goes out.
Fire genasi in Elkan are rare. The main entrance to the Elemental Plane of Fire, the Solar portal platform known as Sol, is the planet's source of sunlight, and angels control traffic through that portal strictly. Genasi are often the children of summoned elementals, or mortal planar travelers who had affairs while in the Plane of Fire.
Water Genasi
Water genasi are usually the descendants of mortals and marids. They glide through water with ease and can easily adapt to being underwater. They often bear other signs of their elemental lineage, such as rippling blue skin, translucent or morphing hair, or appearing as if perpetually soaked.
Cantrips: Rain
Damage Resistance: Acid
Language: You can read and write Primordial and speak its Aquan dialect.
Swim Speed: Equal to walking speed.
Amphibious
You can breathe underwater in addition to breathing air like other humanoids.
Water genasi in Elkan mostly live in underwater communities, but a fair number come to live with humans and elves in the Isle of Takat. Nearby, a portal in a deep underwater trench to the Plane of Water allows many abyssal creatures to cross over. Over time, cults worshipping these abyssal leviathans have summoned elementals into Takat, and now a fair portion of the population are genasi.
Gnome
Gnomes look like very small elves, with pointed ears and an average height between 3 and 4 ft. Unlike elves, gnomes can grow facial hair, and it is not uncommon to see a gnome with a stylized beard. Shorter gnomes sometimes look like their heads are too big for their small bodies.
Size: Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Gnome Cunning
You have advantage on all intelligence, wisdom, and charisma saving throws.
In the world of Elkan, gnomes form two distinct ethnic groups. The forest gnomes of Ananua live in harmony with the Wood Elves, and delight in their secretive woodland communities. The better known rock gnomes are led by House McGrath in the north. The rock gnomes are famous for magical inventions, especially those which use the power of the Lord of Light, Glanis.
Goblin
Goblins are about the size of gnomes, though they tend to be stockier. They have long claw-like fingernails, sharp teeth, outwards-pointed ears, and slightly upturned noses. They range from green to brown to orange in color.
Size: Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Climbing Speed: equal to walking speed.
Keen Smell
You can use smell most creatures within 100 ft. of you. You have advantage on perception checks, except where you cannot use smell. Note that when you have advantage, your passive perception increases by 5.
In the world of Elkan, goblins live primarily as the worker caste below their mighty hobgoblin cousins. They are stereotyped as subservient, cowardly, and silly creatures, but they cultivate this reputation so as to avoid notice from non-goblinoids. Among goblinoids, they are known as highly organized and brilliant engineers, well able to compensate for their smaller stature, but in the wider world they can succeed at just about any job if given the chance.
Halfling
Halflings look like humans of about half the scale. Halflings usually stand between 2.5 and 3 ft., and vary in width like a human would. Unlike humans, halflings have larger feet, and sometimes larger heads, at least in proportion.
Size: Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Halfling Nimbleness
You can move through the space of hostile creatures of size medium or larger, though those spaces count as difficult terrain for you. Additionally, you can move through the spaces of friendly creatures at full speed, without counting those spaces as difficult terrain.
Lucky
When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw (after accounting for advantage or disadvantage), you may reroll. You must use the new result, even if it is a 1.
Halfling Nimbleness
You can move through the space of hostile creatures of size medium or larger, though those spaces count as difficult terrain for you. Additionally, you can move through the spaces of friendly creatures at full speed, without counting those spaces as difficult terrain.
In the world of Elkan, halflings are a hardened people, primarily based in the southern kingdom of Morventry. Once peaceful farmers, they became victimized by pirates and slavers who felt the halflings would be easy targets. The halflings learned to defend themselves, and believe a cosmic force of luckiness keeps them alive. Unfortunately, the halflings have to deal with near constant monstrous threats and violent neighbors.
Hobgoblin
Hobgoblins are about the size of humans, though they tend to be a bit stockier. Like their goblin cousins, they have long claw-like fingernails, sharp teeth, outwards-pointed ears, and slightly upturned noses. They tend to be brown to orange in color, even coming close to a red.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Keen Smell
You can use smell most creatures within 100 ft. of you. You have advantage on perception checks, except where you cannot use smell. Note that when you have advantage, your passive perception increases by 5.
Strength in Numbers
Hobgoblins can silently coordinate their movements and even think the same way as their allies without saying a word. When danger strikes, a hobgoblin is at least as prepared as their allies.
Reaction - Self
When you fail a saving throw against an effect that also targets one of your allies, and at least one of your allies succeeded on the save, you can reroll your failed save.
In the world of Elkan, hobgoblins come from a society ruled by the eternal spirits of the Ancestors, powerful hobgoblins who founded the Legions- highly regimented military organizations that control goblinoid life. The Ancestors can possess the bodies of chosen descendants, and walk among them.
Human
Humans are the most common mortals. While humans are not inherently magical creatures, they tend to be quick to adapt and learn from other peoples. They are a diverse people, both physically and culturally.
Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Skills: one skill of your choice
Human Inspiration
This is not the time you fail. You will try harder.
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Long Rest
When you roll a saving throw, attack roll, or skill check, you can choose to reroll and take the higher result.
In the world of Elkan, humans are a sizeable minority in most places. The largest population of humans live under the rule of angels in lands controlled by the Solar Hegemony. Humanity is often overlooked by the more magically gifted races, but exceptional humans have made up many of history's greatest heroes and villains.
Kobold
Kobolds are small draconic creatures that range from 2-3 ft. tall. Their bodies are covered in colorful scales, and they have the heads and bodies of humanoid lizards, usually with two short horns extending backwards from the top of their head. Most kobolds have scales the color of one of the various species of dragon: either a chromatic like red or black, or a metallic like brass or silver. Whether kobolds are descended from dragons varies by campaign setting.
Size: Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Crawling Speed: equal to walking speed. You use this speed when prone.
Burrow Speed: 5 ft.
When you burrow, you can only burrow through dirt or other loose material, not hard materials like stone or wood. You leave a tunnel behind you, which you can crawl through with ease while crawling but a medium creature has to squeeze into.
In the world of Elkan, kobolds have been slaves or servants to dragons for all recorded history. The largest population of kobolds live as slaves to the Red Bloodline of dragons, who use the kobolds to tunnel ever deeper into the mountains, expanding their territory. Kobolds are sometimes able to make their way to large cities successfully, but some chromatic dragons hunt such kobolds for daring to defy the social order of draconic society.
Minotaur
Minotaurs are bipedal human-animal hybrids. Most minotaurs look like they have the heads of bulls, but some look closer to female cows, or even goats. All minotaurs have horns and hooves, and they stand bipedal at heights usually between 6 and 7 ft.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Feat: Powerful Build. If you already have this feat, you can instead choose a different level 1 feat.
Labyrinthine Recall
You can perfectly recall every exact path you've traveled, except for any path you traveled while incapacitated.
Gore
You can use your horns as a weapon to gore your enemies. You count as proficient with your horns.
Action - 1 Creature (5 ft.)
Melee Attack
Hit: 1d8 + your strength modifier piercing damage. The first time you hit with this attack on your turn, you also push the target 5 ft.
In the world of Elkan, minotaurs are born from eggs laid by Baphomet, the mad minotaur god of wild magic. The product of strange asexual reproduction, most minotaurs are born into male bodies, though exceptions tend to be the rule with minotaurs. Minotaurs often have eccentric interests or powerful innate magical abilities. The largest minotaur population is in Mothside City, Baphomet's favourite mortal city, though many live within The Maze, the paradoxical demiplane that is Baphomet's own mind. Baphomet can be seen on our home page.
Mixed Heritage
While most fantastical peoples, like gnomes, dwarves, and dragonborn, are incapable of having children together, there are exceptions. Your character could have mixed elf, human, and/or orc heritage. These people might have elven ears or orcish tusks, but look otherwise like humans. Alternatively, they may look more like their non-human parent, or not have human ancestry at all.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 30 ft., or Darkvision 60 ft. if you choose both the elven and orcish features
Two of the following
Human Feature: one skill of your choice
Elven Feature: Fey Ancestry
You are immune to spells and magical effects that would put you to sleep, and you have advantage on saves against the charmed condition.
Orcish Feature: Powerful Build. If you already have this feat, you can instead choose a different level 1 feat.
In the world of Elkan, mixed heritage people are accepted in most communities. However, in the Borderlands and in Mahavala, those with orcish blood are viewed with disdain, and in some of the Stardust orc clans, those with human or elven blood are considered suspicious at best. Otherwise, mixed heritage people face the same discrimination in some communities as other outsiders. People with mixed heritage might call themselves half-elves or half-orcs, as applicable.
Orc
Orcs look like more muscular humans, a few inches taller than humans on average, with skin colour ranging from grey to green. Orcs have tusks of varied size growing from their slightly elongated lower jaws.
Size: Medium
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Feat: Powerful Build. If you already have this feat, you can instead choose a different level 1 feat.
Relentless Endurance
You nearly lose consciousness, but find the strength inside yourself to keep standing.
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Long Rest
When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead.
In the world of Elkan, orcs are a persecuted and waning people. After freeing themselves from demonic control, they were one of the greatest world cultures. When elves arrived from Ishiki, they forced the orcs out of most of their lands. Now the orcs below to two main groups: the Stardust orc clans, who are constantly at war with humans and elves, and the isolationist orcs of Chalchuitzil, who worship their vampire rulers in the jungle.
Tiefling
Tieflings are mortals with a parent or ancestor who is some sort of fiendish creature. Usually, a tiefling looks most like their mortal ancestry, but with horns and reddish skin. Hooves, blue or purple skin, or spikey growths are also fairly common. However, because of the massive diversity of fiends, a tiefling might have features specific to their fiendish ancestor, such as backwards-bending fingers like a rakshasa, or a vulture's beak like a vrock.
Type: Fiend
Size: Medium or Small
Walking Speed: 30 ft.
Language: Infernal
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Cantrips: Thaumaturgy
Damage Resistance: Fire
In the world of Elkan, tieflings are most often descendants of succubi and incubi, mostly due to their general proclivity to be more promiscuous and agreeable than most fiends, but also because the succubus queen Octavia has personally given birth to hundreds of tieflings across the ages. Octavia can be seen picture on our home page. People usually assume tieflings are dangerous, but that's usually because tieflings are forced into a life of crime or marginalization. Those who know better view tieflings as being closer to their mortal heritage than anything else.
Backgrounds
Below we have listed every Background in the Elkan5e ruleset. When creating a character, you should select your Background after your Ancestry. Background is what determines the languages your character grew up speaking, as well as a few abilities your character picked up from cultural or professional training outside of your class. Any Background is a viable choice for any character class or archetype.
Arcanist
In most campaign settings, there is at least one culture where magical training is provided to everyone. In many settings, elves are the ones to build these magical 'utopias'. Most with the Arcanist background, however, are mage's apprentices from a young age, learning from local tutors away from mainstream society.
Languages: Common and three others (often one Magical Language)
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Arcana and Religion)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Items: common clothes, a robe, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 30 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Cantrips: one of your choice from the sorcerer or wizard spell lists. You use intelligence or charisma as your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Spells: Detect Magic. You can cast this spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. If you are a spellcaster, you count this spell as a spell you know and have prepared, and can cast it with a spell slot. This spell is a bonus on top of your normal number of spells known.
In the world of Elkan, the northern realm of Tyopalvka is a no-man's land blasted by magical experiments, monsters, and bandits. While there is no significant central government in Tyopalvka, many unscrupulous wizards have built towers and lairs here to avoid attention. Knowledge of basic magic has slowly bled out of these towers as the wizards take countless apprentices who are later released back into the general population.
Cosmopolitan
Characters with the Cosmopolitan background were influenced by many cultures. A cosmopolitan culture is one that includes and encourages members of different world cultures to come together. In most campaign settings, there will be several urban centers where members of any culture are welcome. Most of the time, these cosmopolitan cities are trade hubs, often located along water, and they usually have a large population.
Languages: Common and three others (usually Trade Languages)
Skills: three of your choice: (Recommended: Persuasion, Insight, and either Deception or Investigation)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Items: common clothes and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 30 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Feats: one of:
In the world of Elkan, the country of Karsa is a cosmopolitan place built for the wealthy to partake of extravagant pleasures at the expense of the lower classes and slaves. Outside Karsa, the cities of Mothside City, Ka'uhane, and Batten Cliffs invite anyone to work in their chaotic ports. The Sleeping Towns are watched by gold dragons who prevent anyone from feeling unwelcome. The Borderlands between orc, human, and elven lands are home to varied peoples and never-ending warfare.
Criminal
Characters with the criminal background usually have some notoriety to their name, whether they were part of organized crime or a street urchin. Sometimes a character with the criminal background has so far evaded notice, been sanctioned by their government, or received a pardon, but they almost always have an unsavory past.
Languages: Common, Thieves' Cant and two others. If you later learn Thieves' Cant, you can instead choose a different language.
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Deception and Stealth)
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
Items: common clothes and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 25 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
One of:
Mob Tactics
You strike fast and hard, using your ally's help to overcome your target's defenses.
No Action Cost - 1 Creature - 1/Short Rest
When you attack a creature and one of your allies is within 5 ft. of the target, you can roll the attack with advantage.
Narrow Escape
You slip out of your attacker's reach as they attack.
Reaction - Self - 1/Short Rest
Trigger: A creature attacks you, whether they hit or miss.
You immediately move up to your speed without triggering attacks of opportunity. This may prevent your attacker from being able to reach you to make additional attacks.
In the world of Elkan, criminals run rampant throughout the world, but are especially common in Morventry, Mothside City, and Tyopalvka. In Morventry, the halfling government takes bribes and looks the other way as robber barons run their provincial cities. In Mothside City, elven crime syndicates control trade and the city guard are thugs. In Tyopalvka, armed gangs roam the wilderness, fighting each other and raiding villages with impunity.
Devout
In many campaign settings, there is a culture where religion plays a central role in nearly everything they do. Some with the devout background were raised by priests. Many with the devout background are raised by devout members of a less devout society, or are members of a small sect or cult.
Languages: Common and two others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Insight and Religion)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Items: common clothes, a robe, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 25 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Cantrips: one of your choice from the cleric spell list. You use wisdom as your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Spells: Protection from Evil and Good. You can cast this spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. If you are a spellcaster, you count this spell as a spell you know and have prepared, and can cast it with a spell slot. This spell is a bonus on top of your normal number of spells known.
In the world of Elkan, the Solar Hegemony is a predominantly human kingdom ruled by living saints who have ascended and become angels, each embodying one of their revered virtues. The Archangels, the first among the saints, look for mortal paragons of their associated virtues, and raise these mortal paragons as new angels when they die. Further northeast, the gnomish god and Lord of Light, Glanis, walks among his children, encouraging them to take up arms to protect the weak and seek the truth.
Entertainer
Entertainers can be found just about anywhere in most campaign settings, but it is rare for an entire culture to be entertainers. Usually, a character with the entertainer background either performed or created art for years before becoming an adventurer.
Languages: Common and three others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Acrobatics and Performance)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Three sets of Artist's Tools of your choice
Items: common clothes, fine clothes and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 30 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Dazzling Display
You awe or distract nearby creatures with a brief performance or dramatic display.
Bonus Action - All Enemies (15 ft.) - 1 Round - 1/Short Rest
A creature is immune to this effect if they are immune to being confused.
Targets cannot make attacks of opportunity and have disadvantage on concentration saves.
In the world of Elkan, entertainers can be found in any part of the world. Some places have larger entertainment industries than others. The halfling nation of Morventry is known for having tours by world-famous musicians almost all the time. Mothside City, the Howler Nation orcs, and the lush palaces of the Mahavala jungle are also common places to find artists. Finally, an elite school of artists is based out of Maronne: the Maronne Artist's Guild. There, noble scions and the exceptionally talented train to be both artists and diplomats to be sent across the world.
Fey-Touched
In most campaign settings, most elves and some gnomes grow up in close harmony with nature and fey creatures. This background could also represent anyone growing up with strong elvish or fey influences.
Languages: Common and three others: (usually including Elvish, Gnomish, and/or Sylvan)
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Animal Handling and Nature)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Two sets of Artist's Tools of your choice
Items: common clothes, traveler's clothes, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 10 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Cantrips: one of your choice from the druid spell list. You use wisdom as your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Spells: Speak with Animals. You can cast this spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. If you are a spellcaster, you count this spell as a spell you know and have prepared, and can cast it with a spell slot. This spell is a bonus on top of your normal number of spells known.
In the world of Elkan, two cultural groups count as Fey-Touched. The Wood Elves and Forest Gnomes of Ananua live in shrouded forests and live in harmony with nature. The druids of Maronne raise orphans and runaway children alongside fey spirits.
Forge-Bound
In most campaign settings, dwarves are an intensely conservative society that places a tremendous value on smithing and craftsmanship. In other settings, similar cultures exist among other ethnic groups. Some with the Forge-Bound background are the exceptions in their society, raised by blacksmiths or other craftspeople to carry the legacy of their trade.
Languages: Common and two others (usually including Dwarvish or Goblin)
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Athletics and Engineering)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
Two Crafting Tools of your choice
Items: common clothes and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 30 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Feats: one of:
In the world of Elkan, the largest dwarven population lives in Ironhome, where residents spent most days walking around in full-body metal armor. Smithing is something that comes naturally to most dwarves, and many make their own armor. They drink ale, tell boisterous stories, and harden their heart against outsiders. Rumour has it that the dwarves used to be a more open and accepting people, but they are the target of some foul curse.
Laborer
Laborers come from humble origins, where they grew up doing manual labor. Many are farmers, miners, or other lower class working people. A player character who is a labourer could be from a small provincial town, where they tended their family farm, they could be an oppressed dockhand working in a big city, or perhaps even a former slave who has since escaped bondage.
Languages: Common and two others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Athletics and Survival)
of your choice
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
One Crafting Tool of your choice
One vehicle type of your choice
Items: common clothes and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 10 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
One of:
Laborer's Endurance
You gain proficiency in the athletics skills (or another skill if you already have it). You also have advantage on saving throws against effects that could cause Exhaustion.
Feat: Powerful Build. If you already have this feat, you must instead choose Laborer's Endurance.
In the world of Elkan, laborers can be found everywhere. The Borderlands are a place marred by conflict but rife in resources, and cheap laborers are always being brought in from abroad to work the fields and the mines. In metropolis cities like Mothside City, the poor laborers who keep the city running are trampled beneath the feet of their so-called betters, and slavemasters in Mahavala will enslave anyone they can reach, but especially goblinoids.
Maritime
Characters with the maritime background grew up in and around sailing and large bodies of water. Whether in the water or on the deck of boats, this character is very comfortable with the water.
Languages: Common and two others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Perception and Survival)
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
Water Vehicles
Items: common clothes, traveler's clothes, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 25 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Feat: Strong Swimmer. If you already have a swim speed, you can instead choose a different level 1 feat.
Sailor's Vigilance
Growing up near the water, you remain alert to your surroundings at all times.
Reaction - Self - 1/Short Rest
Trigger: You roll initiative.
You reroll Initiative, taking the higher of the two rolls.
In the world of Elkan, the Isles of Takat are a cold, unforgiving place. While there is a thriving lumber industry, most youth grow up in the water, rolling logs down rivers or working on ships. The human and elven shipwright families are the most influential, and determine who is able to advance to a lucrative career. Nearby, there are strange creatures in the deeps, but the people of Takat maintain their willingness to brave the terrible tentacled horrors.
Militant
This background is meant to represent any number of militant cultures and organizations that rely on the strength of organized armies to keep up with their magically gifted neighbors. Humans often belong to such a culture, and most campaign settings feature an empire of hobgoblins, sometimes with goblins or bugbears integrated into a militant culture. It is also possible for your character to have been raised by a militant sect within a larger culture.
Languages: Common and two others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Athletics and Intimidation)
Any tool or vehicle type of your choice
One vehicle type of your choice
Items: one Simple Weapon, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 25 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Martial Command
You shout a command to an ally to get moving.
Bonus Action - 60 ft. Ally - 1/Short Rest
Your chosen ally can immediately move up to their speed using their reaction.
In the world of Elkan, the most notable militant culture is the Empire of the Ancestors, which is a massive country founded by immortal hobgoblin Ancestors who live forever by possessing the most physically fit of their descendants.
Noble
Nobles tend to grow up outside the larger culture they are part of, with different skills and experiences. While most characters with the noble background would have been born into such a lifestyle, others entered the aristocracy later in life, sometimes through illegal means. Others were never wealthy, but learned to fit into high society regardless.
Languages: Common and three others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: History and Persuasion)
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
Items: fine clothes, traveler's clothes, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 50 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Coordinating Direction
You notice an ally struggling and give them direction or advice to complete a task.
Reaction - 1 Ally (60 ft.) - 1/Short Rest
Trigger: An ally other than yourself attempts a skill check.
Target rerolls the skill check they just made and takes the higher result.
In the world of Elkan, the country of Karsa is rampant with inequality, and the upper class is built on the suffering of indentured servants and the desperate lower classes. In Mahavala, the leaders are supposedly the most pious, but their religious beliefs mainly involve taking whatever you can to make yourself happy, so they resemble a noble aristocracy more than a priesthood.
Outsider
This background is meant for any character who never fit into the culture of those around them. While they didn't live alone, they were always separate from other people. Sometimes an outsider is a scorned child, sometimes a fugitive, and sometimes just someone who never had a home.
Languages: Common and three others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Deception and Stealth)
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
Items: common clothes, traveler's clothes, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 10 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
Charade
You shift your demeanor and body language to appear more or less dangerous than you really are. Your enemies then either fight more cautiously against you than they need to, or choose to ignore the threat you pose.
Bonus Action - Self - 1/Short Rest
Until the end of your next turn, creatures have disadvantage on attacks against you.
In the world of Elkan, the ruined towns of Fallow and Leslie were abandoned after an undead army swept through and killed most of the inhabitants. Most people who now live there are fugitives or pariahs who don't fit in anywhere else.
Wild
Wild characters spent a large amount of their lives living in the wilderness. Some live on their own, honing their skills, while some live in family groups or small communities. Sometimes this is because of family and cultural influence, and sometimes it's a personal choice made by people trying to escape civilization. Regardless, wild characters tend to experience regular danger in the wilderness.
Languages: Common and two others
Skills: two of your choice: (Recommended: Nature and Survival)
Two tools or vehicle types of your choice
Items: traveler's clothes, and the tools (but not vehicles) you gained proficiency with above
Starting Gold: 5 gold, which can be spent at character creation to buy nonmagical equipment at base cost.
One of:
Quiet Focus
You focus on your task, working efficiently as you tune out those around you.
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Short Rest
Trigger: You roll a skill check that isn't a charisma skill.
You can reroll the skill check.
Sudden Warning
You warn allies about incoming danger right before it strikes.
Reaction - All Allies (60 ft.) - 1/Short Rest
Trigger: One or more allies within range fail a dexterity saving throw against a single effect. Your allies must be able to hear you.
All allied creatures within 60 ft. of you can reroll their saving throw.
In the world of Elkan, the Howler orcs spend most of their time in the wilderness, living among the animals. In the Morventry frontier, small halfling families live off their own skills, with little contact with civilization.
Notes and Examples
(1) Regarding Using Old Races/Subraces
If you are coming to Elkan 5e as a veteran 5e player, you will be used to race being a choice of 'race' and sometimes a 'subrace', as well as a 'background', not a combination of ancestry and background. We wanted to separate the poison resistance inherent to dwarves from the weapons young dwarves are typically trained to use. Obviously some dwarves would not be raised by other dwarves, and some dwarves would belong to cultures that didn't care if you can wield a warhammer. Unfortunately, by separating cultural benefits (like learning to swing a warhammer) and adding them onto our new 'backgrounds', we make this system incompatible with old races and backgrounds.
It would be unfair for you to play the centaur race you found on the internet and then take a background from our list. If you did, you would effectively have the ancestry and cultural benefits of centaurs, as well as another race's cultural benefits, which are part of background on our list. This would give you more powers than your friend's dwarf, who is only using our system.
Of course, if someone designs an ancestry or background specifically to be compatible with Elkan 5e, then you can go right ahead. However, we also wanted to allow players to use old races alongside our new system.
If you want to play a race using the old system, which includes a race and sometimes a subrace, you can use that instead of our system. You can pick centaur and pick a subrace of your choice, as well as one of the non-Elkan 5e backgrounds, and your friend can pick the dwarf ancestry and forge-bound background from our list here. Your centaur abilities will be about the same level of power as your dwarf friend.
If you are happy using only Elkan 5e ancestries and backgrounds, you can rest easy that if your friends use the old race/subrace/background system, whether to get a unique race or a unique flavour, that everything will be as balanced as possible.
(2) Regarding Mixed Heritage:
While in baseline 5e rules only half-elves and half-orcs were possible, we felt that elves and orcs should be able to produce offspring together if they could both do so with humans, and even if not, it's possible for a half-elf and half-orc to have a child.